What time do you pickup from daycare?

Anonymous
Just seeing what is a reasonable pickup time. My daycare closes at 6:00pm but it seems too long for my kid to be there!
Anonymous
Pick your kid up when you are done working. Take them with you if you are going shopping or doing an errand. There is no reason to leave them there until 6 unless your work schedule requires it. Maximize your time with your kid as much as you can, even if they seem to enjoy daycare.
Anonymous
I pick up at 5.30 when daycare closes, but DC gets dropped off at 9.30.
Anonymous
Our daycare opens at 7am and closes at 6pm. We usually drop off around 8:30 or 9am and pick up at 5pm, based on our work schedules.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:Just seeing what is a reasonable pickup time. My daycare closes at 6:00pm but it seems too long for my kid to be there!


Why would you think you can't pick up your kids earlier than closing?
Anonymous
We drop off at 8, pick up at 4. (Center is open 7-6)
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:Pick your kid up when you are done working. Take them with you if you are going shopping or doing an errand. There is no reason to leave them there until 6 unless your work schedule requires it. Maximize your time with your kid as much as you can, even if they seem to enjoy daycare.


+100 most daycares will also tell you that they are open those hours to accommodate different schedules but they definitely don't expect people to use the full hours.

It has varied for me over the years but my spouse and I stagger our schedules so he drops off and starts work more like 9ish. I start earlier and pick up around 4-4:30.

If you are able to swing it, research tends to support that most kids tend to do better with shorter days in daycare, even if they are happy and fine there. Obviously this isn't possible for everyone and the kids are ok! But don't leave them there on a regular basis once you're done with work
Anonymous
Pickup at 5 most days otherwise 5:30. When I’m in the office, DH picks up otherwise I wouldn’t get back before 6 because of my commute. My sympathies for all single family households out there.
Anonymous
We drop-off at 8:30 and pick-up between 5:30 and 5:45. When able, we pick-up earlier.
Anonymous
Most people pick up 4:30-5:30. I bet 90% of the kids are picked up during that time.
Anonymous
Infant room: 8-1
Toddler room: 730-330
Preschool: 730-430
School/SACC: 730-430

I was an early childhood & elementary teacher and think the “early shift” has fewer disruptions, classroom shuffling, etc. I didn’t like my kid to be moved from teacher to teacher. Plus my kid is an early bird and I want to be home cooking dinner by 5.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:We drop-off at 8:30 and pick-up between 5:30 and 5:45. When able, we pick-up earlier.


Same.

It was our work schedule plus commute time.

No need to feel guilty if you can't pick up way before closing time, and also no need to shame other parents for not picking up after what you deem the appropriate number of hours. Whenever this topic comes up there are always some sanctimonious moms who come in and lecture about how long hours at the daycare is terrible for the kids. Just shut up and let parents do what works best for their individual families.
Anonymous
By 5:30 or shes the last one there (small in-home). Sometimes at 4:30. On good weather days I do later pickup unless i can get there at 4. As they go outside at 4:15 so she can get another hour outside.
Anonymous
I am and always have been an extreme early bird and my job is flexible. I start work around 6/630 and my husband does the morning routine and drops our baby off at daycare around 7:30/8, and I go pick him up around 2/230. I’m also able to do the after school routine with our older kids so I am happy with this schedule. We both Wfh so makes it all pretty easy.
Anonymous
I drop off toddler and baby around 7, 7:15 and pick up around 4, 4:15. Wish it could be shorter, but alas, it is what it is
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